Cardiac tamponade due to primary pericardial lymphoma in a patient with AIDS

[Non-Hodgkin cardiac lymphomas]

Cardiac non-Hodgkin lymphoma (CNHL) is a rare extranodal lymphoma with a poor prognosis. Secondary cardiac lymphoma is more frequent than primary cardiac lymphoma. CNHL often involves the right side of the heart. Diagnosis of CNHL can be suggested by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Cytological examination of pericardial fluid or histological of cardiac tissue is essential. The majority of cases are diffuse B-cell lymphoma. A prompt immediate diagnosis and early treatment are essential for better outcome. Management should be individualized and the most effective treatment is chemotherapy containing anthracycline variably combined with radiotherapy. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to the successful treatment of CNHL.

[Pleuro-pericardial effusion revealing a lymphoblastic lymphoma]

L'atteinte cardiaque au cours des lymphomes lymphoblastiques est rare. Il s'agissait d'un patient de 17 ans de race noire qui a été admis pour une douleur médiothoracique. Le patient avait des signes d'insuffisance cardiaque droite; un syndrome d’épanchement pleural liquidien gauche; des adénopathies superficielles et une splénomégalie de type IV de Hackett. La biopsie ganglionnaire a été réalisée pour la confirmation du diagnostic par analyse histologique et immuno-histochimique. Des ponctions pleurale et péricardique ont été effectuées. Le patient a été confié au service d'oncologie pédiatrique pour la chimiothérapie. L’évolution a été marquée par le décès du patient 18 jours après. La manifestation cardiaque est une entité rare et très souvent méconnue.la confirmation histologique est parfois difficile à obtenir du vivant de la plupart des patients. Le pronostic est souvent réservé à court terme.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the heart in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

A case of HIV-associated cardiac non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is described, and the epidemiologic and clinicopathologic features of 21 cases previously reported in the literature are analyzed. All patients were homosexual males, and the cardiac NHL was the first acquired immune deficiency syndrome-defining condition in the majority. Patients were referred with nonspecific clinical findings including dyspnea and tachycardia, but rapid progression of cardiac dysfunction was frequent after symptoms appeared. Echocardiography constitutes the most useful noninvasive procedure in the diagnosis of cardiac NHL. Most of the patients had disseminated diseased at initial presentation; pathologically, the lymphomas were of B lymphocyte origin and of high-grade subtypes. Prognosis of HIV-associated cardiac NHL is generally poor, although clinical remission has been observed with combination chemotherapy. Cardiac lymphomas in HIV-associated patients are typically high-grade and often disseminate early. Although the prognosis is poor, patients in whom dissemination has not occurred could have longer survival under systemic chemotherapy.

Rare case of Nocardia asteroides pericarditis in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient

Nocardia asteroides was isolated after prolonged culture from the pericardial fluid of a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient. The lengthy duration required for culture growth and identification of this N. asteroides isolate affected both initial therapeutic decisions and patient management. A proposed algorithm for the microbiological workup of pericardial fluid for possible Nocardia spp. is described in an effort to improve the timeliness of results.

Cardiac lymphoma and pericardial effusion in dogs: 12 cases (1994-2004)

OBJECTIVE

To determine clinical characteristics and clinicopathologic findings, including results of pericardial fluid analysis, and determine the outcome associated with pericardial effusion caused by cardiac lymphoma in dogs.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS

12 dogs.

PROCEDURE

Medical records of affected dogs were reviewed for echocardiographic findings, radiographic findings, results of pericardial fluid analysis, clinicopathologic findings, treatment protocols, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Pericardial effusion was detected by echocardiography in all 12 dogs, and lymphoma was detected by cytologic examination of the effusion (11/12 dogs) or histologic examination of pericardium (3/12). Large-breed dogs were overrepresented; median weight was 40.5 kg (89.1 lb). Most hematologic and biochemical changes were mild and non-specific. Survival time for dogs treated with combination chemotherapeutic agents was 157 days and for dogs that did not receive chemotherapy survival time was 22 days. This difference was not significant, but several dogs had long-term survival.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Cardiac lymphoma is an uncommon cause of pericardial effusion, and results suggest that cardiac lymphoma does not always warrant the poor prognosis of other stage V, substage b lymphomas.

[Cardiac localization of non Hodgkin's lymphoma: a study on four cases]

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac localization of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is rare and usually seen in the latest phase of the disease. However, its frequency is certainly under-estimated because 20% of patients who die of lymphoma have a heart involvement at autopsy.

EXEGESIS

We report four cases of cardiac involvement of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with various revelation modalities. Features of cardiac lymphoma are multiple and not specific. Echocardiography can be helpful in finding cardiac localizations, which can involve every cardiac structure. Histological proof of such an involvement is sometimes difficult to obtain.

CONCLUSION

Prognosis of cardiac lymphoma remains poor despite the real progress in the treatment of lymphomas.

Cardiac tamponade in patients with human immunodeficiency virus disease

The characteristics of cardiac tamponade in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease were examined by evaluating the cases, case series, and related articles, including autopsy series, identified through a comprehensive literature search. One-hundred eighty-five cases of cardiac tamponade have been reported in patients with HIV disease. Sex data were available in 176 patients, of whom 154 (87%) were males. The mean age was 34.7 +/- 10.4 years (range, 11 months to 61 years). Mean CD4 cell count was 98 +/- 95 cells/mm3 (range, 3 to 430 cells/mm3). The most common etiology of pericardial tamponade was mycobacterial infection (78 patients), including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, and Mycobacterium kansasii. A bacterial cause was found in 20 patients (11%). Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant bacteria, followed by streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Rhodococcus equi. Lymphoma was found in 15 (8%) patients and Kaposi sarcoma in 13 (7%) patients. Numerous unusual organisms, including Cryptococcus neoformans, Nocardia asteroides, Aspergillus species, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex were also associated with cardiac tamponade in HIV patients. Occasionally, HIV itself was involved in the pathogenesis. In 48 patients (26%), no cause was found or reported. The most common clinical presentation was dyspnea, followed by fever, cough, chest pain, and cardiac arrest. The predominant pericardial fluid color composition was serosanguineous. The majority of patients died during hospitalization or in the immediate follow-up period. Vigilance for cardiac tamponade in patients with HIV disease, especially in those with opportunistic infections and/or malignancies, and cardiac symptoms, may result in early and proper management of cardiac tamponade in these patients.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (CD 30+), T-phenotype, in the heart of an HIV-positive man

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas described in patients with HIV-infection are most often high-grade B-cell lymphomas. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (CD 30+) has been described in a minority of immunocompromised patients. Although sporadic reports of T-cell lymphomas associated with HIV infection are found in the literature, they have not been described to occur in the myocardium. We present a case of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (CD 30+), T-phenotype involving the heart in a 42-year-old HIV-positive patient.

CT and MR imaging of primary cardiac malignancies

Primary cardiac malignancies are rare tumors that are difficult to diagnose clinically. Different primary cardiac malignancies may have different clinical, morphologic, and radiologic features and intracardiac locations. Angiosarcoma is the most common primary cardiac malignancy. It tends to occur in the right atrium and involve the pericardium. Because of its tendency to hemorrhage, angiosarcoma often demonstrates areas of increased signal intensity with T1-weighted sequences. Undifferentiated sarcomas typically occur in the left atrium and have variable epidemiologic and radiologic features. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common primary cardiac malignancy in children and is more likely than other primary cardiac sarcomas to involve the valves. Primary cardiac osteogenic sarcoma almost always occurs in the left atrium and frequently demonstrates calcification. Certain features (eg, broad base of attachment, origin at a site other than the atrial septum) help differentiate this tumor from left atrial myxoma. Leiomyosarcoma favors the left atrium and tends to invade the pulmonary veins and mitral valve. Fibrosarcoma also tends to occur in the left atrium and is often necrotic. Liposarcoma is very rare and usually manifests as a large, infiltrating mass. Foci of macroscopic fat are occasionally seen. Primary cardiac lymphoma occurs more commonly in immunocompromised patients, frequently involves the pericardium, and, unlike other primary cardiac malignancies, may respond to chemotherapy. The advent of cross-sectional imaging has allowed earlier detection of primary cardiac malignancies as well as more accurate diagnosis and characterization.

Renal carcinoma presenting as cardiac tamponade: a case report and review of literature

Pericardial involvement in an advanced malignancy is common but malignancy presenting as cardiac tamponade is rather uncommon. Review of English literature using Medline CD ROM revealed 131 cases since 1935, who have presented with this life threatening emergency. Lung is the most common primary site followed by lymphomas and leukemias. We report a case of transitional cell carcinoma of kidney presenting as cardiac tamponade. Such a presentation of transitional cell carcinoma of kidney has never been reported.

AIDS-associated B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma masquerading as a cutaneous T-cell neoplasm: an aberrant immunophenotype requiring comprehensive analysis for lineage resolution

An increased prevalence of intermediate- and high-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a major manifestation of the disease spectrum associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Rarely, lymphoproliferations are of T-cell, null cell, or mixed-lineage phenotypes. We describe an unusual B-cell NHL that presented as a left alar ulcer in a man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and rectal carcinoma. Biopsy of the lesion and a draining cervical lymph node showed atypical dermal lymphoid infiltration with effacement of nodal architecture and involvement of adjacent skeletal muscle by a diffuse infiltrate of large and small lymphocytes. On paraffin section immunochemistry, the large lymphoid cells expressed CD45 and CD45RO, but not CD43 or CD20. The small background cells were positive for CD3, CD43, and CD45RO. These overall results were consistent with a diagnosis of a T-cell process. Gene rearrangement studies, however, demonstrated a clonal B-cell population indicative of B-cell NHL. The clinical course was marked by rapid shrinkage of tumor with chemotherapy followed by profound wasting and death. Anomalous coexpression or lack of expression of T- and B-cell markers may be seen in AIDS-related NHL. Reliance on paraffin section immunohistology may provide misleading information, and caution is recommended in assigning a specific lineage to such lymphoproliferations without additional immunologic or genotypic analyses. Whether our case represents a distinct clinicopathologic entity or is simply a peculiar manifestation of HIV-related B-cell NHL remains uncertain.

Primary cardiac lymphoma

Primary cardiac lymphoma is a rare entity. We report on the clinicopathological features of 2 patients with primary cardiac lymphomas: one involving the right atrium resulting in intractable right heart failure, and the other involving the pericardium with massive pericardial effusion. In the first patient, sternotomy and surgical biopsy of the tumor were performed to arrive at the diagnosis. In the second patient, CT thorax and transesophageal echocardiography helped to diagnose the pericardial tumor, and cytological examination of the pericardial fluid established the pathological diagnosis of lymphoma. Combination chemotherapy (COPP) was started in both patients. The first patient died on the first day of chemotherapy due to intractable heart failure, while the second attained a partial response to chemotherapy but died of progressive disease 8 weeks later. This is followed by a literature review of 21 patients with primary cardiac lymphoma. In conclusion, the prognosis of primary cardiac tumor remains poor.